Last Kiss
by caro1414
Summary: Logan and Rory meet 5 years later, will they have the closure they both need to move on? [One Shot]


**Last Kiss:**

**A/N: i got this idea while driving home from work last night, just a quick one shot. Set 5 years in the future.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls, or the song "Last Kiss" by Taylor Swift**

Logan was glad that he had decided to come. He needed to know that she was happy, that she was safe, and as he watched her walk down the aisle on Christopher's arm. He smiled as he watched her father whisper something in her ear. It was like watching a movie, a home video of what he had wished his own life would be.

Logan hadn't received an invitation to this grand affair, he had been invited by a girl he was seeing. She had told him that she had received an invitation to a wedding, one of her colleagues at the Washington Post, and it was taking place in Hartford, so she needed a date. It should have clicked, he should have realized when he heard the name Leigh, but it never even dawned on him that Leigh would be Rory Gilmore, _his _Rory Gilmore.

When he looked at the invitation, he was surprised, it was more intricate than he had expected, he had expected Rory to want a low key wedding, something relaxed with family and close friends. From what he gathered about Natalie's relationship with Rory, they were hardly close.

_"So everyone calls her Leigh?" Logan asked her, his brow creasing._

_"As far as I know." Natalie shrugged, "Why?"_

_"No reason," Logan shook his head as he put the invitation back down on the counter, "I've just never seen it spelled like that."_

Logan had chuckled when he saw that Lorelai was Rory's matron of honour. She had noticed him and gave him an apologetic smile, like in some way or another, she had always thought that it would be him standing there waiting to marry Rory, or Leigh, whatever she was going by now. When Rory finally reached the alter, Christopher lovingly gave her a kiss, and handed her off to a tall, tanned, sandy blonde haired man. His name was Evan, and from what Logan had been told, and _researched _since finding out he would be attending Rory's wedding, he knew that Evan was from California, he was an insurance executive, and he was heavily involved in literacy projects in Washington, which is where he had met Rory. By all accounts, he seemed like a good guy, he seemed like someone who would make Rory happy, and keep her safe.

He tried not to listen to the vows, he was too busy focusing on what his life could have been. They could have been married with kids by now, or, if he hadn't been an idiot, if he had been willing to wait for her, they could be getting married right now. Only they would have done it somewhere tropical, exotic, they would have gone to Fiji, or Bali, flown all of their friends there, and had a week in the sun enjoying each other.

_I still remember the look on your face_

_Lit through the darkness at 1:58_

_The words that you whispered_

_For just us to know_

_You told me you loved me_

_So why did you go away? _

_Away_

"I didn't expect to see you here." Lorelai smiled as she walked to Logan's table and embraced him. "You look nice."

"I didn't know it was her." Logan lied, "My...my girlfriend, Natalie, works with Rory...or...Leigh? Rory. Anyway, Nat got the invite a while back, and we started seeing each other. I didn't think anything of it."

"She stopped going by Rory after college." Lorelai explained, "Professionally she was always going to go by Leigh, but she always said it was part of growing up, I think it was more about protecting herself." she gave him a half smile. Lorelai knew that Rory hadn't recovered from the breakup, she had pined, and wallowed, and waited for him. Over time Lorelai had realized that despite any other relationships, Logan would always be Rory's great love. When Rory met Evan, Lorelai had liked him from the get go, but she knew that he wouldn't challenge her the way that Logan had, and Rory always needed a challenge. "But she's happy, and well...even though I would rather she had stayed at home living with me forever, he makes her happy."

"That's all I want for her." Logan nodded as he took a sip of her scotch, "You should go though. Before the bride realizes you're gone."

"I should." Lorelai agreed, "We all still call her Rory." she added, "Everyone who knows her...well, knows her from before. She's still Rory to us."

"She's still Ace to me." Logan smiled. "Thank you, Lorelai."

Logan watched as Rory stepped onto the dance floor with her new husband, her hair loosely curling around her bare shoulders as she wrapped her arms around her new husband's neck and he pulled her body close to his. She could see her laugh at something he said before resting her head on his shoulder. He wondered what she was thinking about. Logan wondered if she ever thought about him. He knew she wouldn't be thinking about him right now, if anything, he hoped that today would give him the closure that he needed to truly move on. She was happy. Ace had moved on, she had fallen in love, and she was happy. Hadn't that been all he had ever wanted for her? Sure he had wished that they could have been happy together, but he would settle for knowing that she was happy.

"Let's dance." Natalie interrupted his thoughts as she grabbed his hand.

"Nat." Logan groaned, "You know I have 2 left feet."

"If you don't dance with me," Natalie pouted for a moment before beginning to laugh, "I might just have to go find someone else to dance with, and then you will just be sitting here by yourself."

Logan laughed, he liked Natalie, she was sweet, she was funny, and really other than the fact that she wasn't Rory Gilmore, she was perfect for him. "Well, how can I say no to that?" he squeezed her hand and let her lead him onto the dance floor. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

"I'll lead." Natalie countered as she let her hands comfortably make their way around his neck. "Don't you love weddings?" she asked him.

"I guess." Logan shrugged, he had been to enough, for as long as he could remember he had attended huge society weddings, the open bar was always good, but sometimes they were just a little too much for him.

"What is the best one you've ever been to?"

"A vow renewal." Logan told her quickly, "My parent's friends were renewing their vows, that was my favourite." he explained as he let the memory wash over him.

_"Why did you come?" Rory asked him quietly._

_Logan smirked, "open bar."_

_"Quite the draw for a guy with an American Express black card."_

_"Live band, salsa, butter pats.." Logan grinned, he always knew exactly how to mess with her._

_"Logan." Rory interrupted him impatiently._

_"Little knit bags full of Jordan Almonds."_

_"Are you ever going to ask me out?" Rory stared at him, "You flirt with me. You act like you like me a little. You show up here with a friend, not a date. I mean aren't you... ever? ... You do like me, right?" she always rambled when she felt uncomfortable, and this was no exception, the conversation certainly wasn't going the way she had planned, "Oh. Okay. Uh, no problem. I'll just um...let you get back to your table, and I'll just start burrowing directly into the ground."_

_"Rory." Logan sighed._

_"I should be in China by midnight." _

_"Rory." he repeated._

_"You called me Rory."_

The rest of the night was a blur to Logan, they had kissed, he had almost been killed by her father, and her mother's boyfriend, but if he could trace all of the heartache in his life back to one particular moment, if he had acted differently then, everything would have turned out different. But is that really how he had wanted it to be? Different? Did he want to have never loved her at all?

_I do recall now the smell on the rain_

_Fresh on the pavement_

_I ran off the plane_

_That July 9th_

_The beat of your heart_

_It jumps through your shirt_

_I can still feel your arms_

_But now I'll sit on the floor_

_Wearing your clothes_

_All that I know is_

_I don't know how to be something you miss_

_I never though we'd have a last kiss_

_Never imagined we'd end like this_

_Your name, forever the name on my lips_

"I'm going to go freshen up." Natalie told him as the song ended, pulling away immediately.

"Sure." Logan nodded, "I'll be at the bar." he told her, watching her walk away as he turned and headed towards the bar that he was glad to know was over stocked. One thing he could always count on at a rich persons wedding, they had good booze. "I'll have a scotch." Logan told the bartender, tossing a twenty dollar bill into the tip jar.

"Of all of the weddings, in all of the world." her voice surrounded him as he was handed his drink.

"Ace." Logan smiled as he turned to her, "You look amazing."

"I don't remember your name being on the guest list?" Rory smiled as he kissed her cheek.

"I'm here with Natalie, you two work together."

"You know Nat?" Rory looked at him with confusion.

"We met in Miami, we've been seeing each other for a few months." Logan explained, "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Rory smiled, "Wow...I..." she laughed nervously, "this is the last place I expected to see you."

"At the bar?" Logan joked, "Ace you know me better than that."

Rory laughed, relieved that he was trying to make her feel more comfortable, "How are you?" she asked, she had worried about him over the years, at least that is what she told herself on the nights that she couldn't sleep because she was thinking about him.

"I'm well." Logan assured her, "Do you want a drink? I mean I would offer to buy but that is already taken care of, so the least I can do is order you a martini?"

"A martini would be great." Rory smiled as he quickly ordered her one and handed it to her once it was made.

"I'm really well, working for my Dad, not trying to kill him. I'm all over the place though." he told her, "And you are at the Post? Loving it I hope?"

"I do love it." Rory nodded.

"The invitation said Leigh." Logan sighed, "I mean, I didn't read it closely, but when I saw an invitation for a co-worker named Leigh, I didn't imagine it would be you."

"I started going by Leigh professionally." Rory explained, "I don't know...Rory just seemed like who I was when I was a kid. I wanted to move forward."

"You'll always be Ace." Logan told her.

_Ace, _the name broke her heart, it was a name that only ever escaped his lips, and the way he said that word, it made her heart melt.

"Anyway," Logan interrupted her thoughts, "I don't want to hog you, you should get back to your party." he smiled, "I mean if it were me, I wouldn't want you out of my sight, or my arms, because I would be the luckiest man in the world."

Rory swallowed the small lump that appeared in her throat, it could have been him, it was her fault that it wasn't. In the years they had been apart, Rory had realized that Logan would always be her great love. He would be the man that gave her goosebumps, and challenged her. When she met Evan, he had been safe. He kept her save, he comforted her, he encouraged her, but no one she had ever dated had challenged her the way that Logan did.

_I do remember the swing of your step_

_The life of the party, you're showing off again_

_And I roll my eyes and then_

_You pull me in_

_I'm not much for dancing_

_But for you I did_

_Because I love your handshake, meeting my father_

_I love how you walk with your hands in your pockets_

_How you kissed me when I was in the middle of saying something_

_There's not a day that I don't miss those rude interruptions_

"Dance with me." Rory stated simply, surprising herself.

"Ace." Logan shook his head.

"There are only a few people in this room Logan who know that we dated, and who know what happened," Rory smiled, "I just want to dance with a friend at my wedding."

"Well how can I deny that." Logan exhaled as he put his hand on the small of her back, leading her to the dance floor that he had just left.

Rory comfortably slipped her hand into his, and smiled as his hand found its way to hold her. They had always danced at the parties they went to when they were together, it was a chemistry they had always shared, and she couldn't help but notice how comfortable they felt when they were together, even after all the years had passed.

"Were the vows cheesy?" Rory whispered in his ear as they moved slowly to the music.

"They were beautiful." Logan assured her, Rory and Evan had written their own vows. Rory had promised to love him, honour him and to never cook for him. She had promised to not jump to conclusions until she had her first cup of coffee in the morning. He had promised to make her coffee every morning, never read the paper first, and keep her safe. They were vows that suited Rory, except they didn't promise love, or a challenge, they promised safety and comfort.

"You're lying." Rory laughed.

"I'm not you and Evan." Logan told her honestly, "All that matters is that those vows meant something to you and your husband. All I want is for you to be happy, and safe. I want you to have the world Rory. Just because I couldn't give it to you..." he swallowed the lump in his throat, "it doesn't mean that I don't want that for you."

"Logan?" Natalie's voice came from behind them.

"Hey." Logan smiled as he let go of Rory and turned to face him.

"What are you two doing?" Natalie asked them with confusion.

Rory was about to answer before Logan cut her off, "How could I not dance with the bride at her wedding?" he smiled, "I mean, I saw her just standing at the bar for a moment and I had to swoop in."

"That was sweet." Natalie nodded, "Leigh let's go get a shot?"

"Of course." Rory nodded.

"Logan, come on." Natalie smiled as she and Rory linked arms.

"You know," Logan adjusted his tie, "I'm going to just get a bit of fresh air. It's stuffy in here. You girls go. It was...it was really nice to meet you, Leigh."

Natalie nodded as Logan quickly made his way towards the balcony, he could feel Rory's eyes lingering him on him as he made it outside.

It was too much. Leigh Gilmore, or Leigh Branson as he assumed she would take Evan's last name. She wasn't the woman he had known all those years ago. She was still the woman that he loved, but when he heard Natalie call her Leigh, it was like reality's way of bitch slapping him back into the present.

_And I'll go sit on the floor _

_Wearing your clothes_

_All that I know is_

_I don't know how to be something you miss_

_Never thought we'd have a last kiss_

_Never imagined we'd end like this_

_Your name, forever the name on my lips_

_And I hope the sun shines_

_And it's a beautiful day_

_And something reminds you_

_You wish you had stayed_

_You can plan for a change in weather and time_

_But I never planned on you changing your mind_

He quickly pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. He had brought cigarettes because he knew that watching the love of his life marry someone else was going to be more than he could deal with. But he had to know, he had to know that she was truly happier and better off without him. When he had watched her float down the aisle, and when she had said her vows, he had tried to convince himself that she was happy, but talking to her. Looking at her close up, and holding her in his arms, he could feel that the chemistry hadn't changed, he could feel the passion that they had shared and it came right back to her the same way it had 5 years earlier.

xxxx

"Mom?" Rory grabbed her Mom by the arm.

"What's up kid? Do you need to go pee?" Lorelai asked, Rory shook her head as she walked with her to the bridal suite.

"Did you know he was going to be here?" Rory demanded as the door closed.

"Who? Evan? I mean, yes I had a sinking suspicion that your fiance would be attending."

"Mom," Rory pled with her, "Logan. Did you know that Logan was here?"

"Yes." Lorelai nodded, "I saw him before the ceremony, and we talked at the reception."

"Mom..." Rory looked at her mother, her bottom lip quivering as she thought about the life that she could have had.

"Rory," Lorelai's heart broke as she saw her daughter fighting with 5 years worth of emotion and regret, "you never said goodbye to him, you thought you were saying _later _and instead he said goodbye. You need to choose, and if you need to say goodbye, then say goodbye, but you have a husband out there. A man who loves you, and even though I have no doubt that Logan also loves you, Evan is a good man."

Rory nodded, "I have to go. Can you cover for me?" she asked as she headed towards the door.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." Rory admitted with a shrug before heading to the balcony she had seen Logan escape to. "Smoking will kill you."

"So does watching the woman you love marry someone else." Logan told her, his eyes were glassy, he had been crying, even though he would do his best not to admit it. "Are you happy?" he asked her.

"I am." Rory nodded, taking a step towards him, and brushing his cheek with her palm. The moment her lips were against his, anything that she hadn't thought of in the past hour came flooding back to her. The love, the passion, the anger, the feelings that they had shared were right there between them, and they were undeniable.

Logan wrapped his arms around her waist as he pulled her close to him, not wanting the moment to end before he pulled away, leaving both of them to try to catch their breath with just inches between their lips. "Be happy." he whispered, letting her hands drop beside her, "I want you to be happy."

_So I'll go sit on the floor_

_Wearing your clothes_

_All that I know is _

_I don't know how to be something you miss_

_Never thought we'd have a last kiss_

_Never imagined we'd end like this_

_Your name, forever the name on my lips_

_Just like our last kiss_

_Forever the name on my lips_

_Forever the name on my lips_

_Just like our last..._


End file.
